Losing Time
by sierra desiree
Summary: COMPLETE Before Setsuna was Sailor Pluto, Guardian of Time, she was a simply girl. Or as simply as the heir to a kingdom can be. This is her story.
1. Day One

The Gatekeeper

by Sierra Desiree

Rated PG 13

Summary: Everyone knows Sailor Pluto. But what does anyone really know about her? The planet Pluto orbits at the edge of our galaxy, a dead and silent rock. But at one time it was the home to an ancient civilization, which would one day be ruled by the Princess Setsuna. Presented here is the life of a teenage Sailor Pluto, when she was mentally and not just physically that age. Did she really do any better than the scouts we do know about? Or did she fight destiny just as much as they?

Disclaimer: Sailor Pluto does not belong to me. I don't believe any of the other Sailor Moon characters show up in this story but if they do, they don't belong to me either.

The planet Pluto, more than a few millennia ago.

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Day One

The room was lit entirely by magic lamps that let off bright light with just the softest hint of teal, giving the turquoise walled room an almost half field, half underwater appearance. Setsuna personally didn't like it that much and in her opinion, it totally clashed with her deep red, off the shoulder, formal gown. Fingering the tendril of dark green hair that had been curled to fall over her shoulder she watched out over her mother's court and nobles in utter boredom.

At that moment the evening meal was just being finished and, as-usual, Queen Chemarian was taking her time getting to the reason she had called this formal dinner. 'Finally,' the princess thought when she saw her mother stand and motion for silence.

Unfortunately the young lady would have to wait a little longer for the escape she craved.

"Lords and ladies," the queen's seemingly silent voice carried well in the hall, "I would like to have the personal pleasure of thanking you all for coming tonight...."

Princess Setsuna blocked out the long speech she knew her mother was getting started on. It was just a variation of the same speech she gave every time all the nobles came to the palace at her request. She took the time to study her mother. The analysis left her disappointed and wondering why she had idolized this great woman all her life. 'Sure,' Setsuna had to admit, 'She's a great mother, but she has no imagination.' The dress the queen was wearing matched the decor. It was a more conservative cut of the same dress she, herself, was wearing, only in a light blue-green that was darkened slightly by the teal lights. It did look fabulous on Chemarian in normal light, but this light made her look slightly dead. That thought sent a chill down the princess's back but she pushed the unpleasant image away. 

Turning her eyes to those very same lights she narrowed her eyes in a glare, as if the lights were the reason for all the things she considered her misfortunes. Sometimes she wondered if her mother had given the magical lights that tint so that her own coal black hair would appear the same green as her daughter's. 'Sorry to disappoint you mother,' Setsuna thought, 'But it didn't work in the slightest.'

She knew she was being ungracious, but things just hadn't been going the way she had expected. All her life she had been taught patience and the art of keeping a secret without appearing to even know what was going on. Also, she had been restrained from ever showing emotion, even though half the time she wanted to scream and get away from the milling people that followed her mother everywhere. Personally, she knew she would never survive as queen, but, to make things just perfect, her right to the throne was being assured today. 

Just then Queen Chemarian reached the part of the speech that interested Setsuna and she leaned back for a better view of the tall woman standing beside her. "As you all know, the heir to the throne can not inherit alone, as was stated by my great-great grandmother so many years ago. I have gathered you all here today to announce that on my daughter's eighteenth birthday, three days from today, the Princess Setsuna shall be wed to Prince Corlan, the son of my dearest friend, the Lady Adria of the Continent of Light. Everyone gathered today is invited to enjoy the hospitality of my palace until that day and then stay for the celebrations that will last a week after the joyful ceremony."

The announcement was met by a large round of applause that filled the entire room. Setsuna resisted the urge to cover her ears, instead raising from her seat as she had been instructed to do. Looking past her mother and father, who was now also standing, she glanced at the young man who now stood beside the king, without actually ever turning her face away from the court. He was tall, perhaps tall enough that she would actually have to look up to him for a change. His almost white blond hair contrasted handsomely with his darkly tanned skin. The outfit he wore was made up entirely of what appeared to be soft leather in three different shades of blue. The main fabric was a deep navy blue, matching his eyes. There was the slightest hint of trimming around the hem and each sleeve in a slightly lighter shade. On his left shoulder there appeared to be a small symbol, though she couldn't make it out, that was colored a much lighter shade.

Setting her eyes back to the front she smiled slightly. Maybe being queen wouldn't be such a bad thing, with him beside her as king. 

After the applause died down naturally, Queen Chemarian held up her slender hands, "Now it is time for us all to rest. Preparations begin in the morning." The king and queen left the room, followed by the prince and princess and the rest of the court, to another round of applause. Instead of going to her own room Setsuna followed her mother and waited outside the door of her chamber. She knew that every night, the queen would emerge once more to check everything in the kitchens, making sure the late breakfast would be to her approval.

As she waited Setsuna pulled on the golden chain that hung around her neck. The chain was long enough that the small pendant it held was hidden beneath the bodice of her dress. She studied the charm carefully, though she knew every line of it by heart, hoping that maybe this time she would get a clue to what it meant. It was molded into the form of a slender key, except that it was unlike any key she had seen before. When the light hit it, the gold metal shone red. She wondered what it meant, and the fact that her mother had never told her who had given her the strange gift on the day of her birth had only increased her curiosity.

Just then the queen opened her chamber door and walked out. She stopped when she saw her daughter waiting for her. Turning to speak, Setsuna hesitated. Here, in the normal lighting, her mother was beautiful. This was the woman she looked up to, her mother, not the queen that had stood before her court only moments before.

"What is it Setsuna?" she asked when the princess remained silent.

"Mother," Setsuna began, stopping to pull the chain off, "I've come to ask you again, what this means."

Queen Chemarian paled when she saw the pendant. "Put that back on and keep it hidden, daughter. Remember, no one is to ever see that. No one is to know your fate."

"My fate?" This was news to her. "Mother, what are you talking about?"

Taking the chain from her daughter, Chemarian clasped it where it belonged, tucking it under the blood red bodice easily. "I swore never to tell you the meaning of it. Even if I broke that promise, I could never tell you what I don't know."

"Mother!" Setsuna cried, fighting to hold her temper, "Who made you promise!"

But her mother was gone and the queen stood before her now. "Setsuna, Princess of Pluto. You know never to bring this up and were taught to never raise your voice. Off to bed with you, everything will be made clear by the time you are eighteen years of age." Without giving Setsuna a chance to reply, Chemarian breezed by her, continuing on her way to the kitchens.

Watching after her mother, Setsuna felt a turmoil of emotions fighting inside her. She knew she should obey her mother, but she had just gotten more information out of her than ever before. Now she only wanted to know more, to keep finding out what the pendant meant until she knew what her future held. When the queen was out of sight, the princess hiked up her full skirt, showing a set of shapely legs, and took off at a run for her room.

In her room she leaned against her closed door, pausing only momentarily to catch her breath. Once she was fine she looked around the room she called her own. If truth be known, there were actually very few items in here that she did feel possessive of. All of those items would have easily fit in a bag and she would have happily left the rest behind. The first thing was a small picture featuring herself at the age of ten, with her mother and her father. It hadn't been taken for royalty sake but rather during one of the few holidays that they had actually had as a family. That was her most important possession. The second most important thing was a small ring she always wore on her right hand pinkie finger. It was a thin strip of silver that was barely noticeable unless the light caught it. A friend of hers, a stable boy named Bryant, had given it to her on her sixteenth birthday. All the other things were small knickknacks that had been given to her over the years by her parents or the few other people she called her friends.

Everything else in the room was her mother's. The walls were uncovered to show the turquoise stone the palace was made of, and the furniture was painted to match or offset it perfectly. At the moment, this was the last place she wanted to be. With a few flicks of her wrist the buttons on the dress were undone and it lay in a pool of silk at her feet. She pulled a box out from under her bed and from that grabbed the pair of trousers and tunic that had once been Bryant's. This was another thing he had given her, the freedom she could enjoy when no one recognized her as the princess.

Once she was dressed, she checked to make sure her door was locked then ran for her window. Quietly she stepped out onto the ledge. This was the most dangerous part of her escape route, not because of the fall - heights didn't bother her - but rather because she had to pass by her parents window to get to the oak tree she used to climb down. Pausing just beyond the window she listened intently for any sounds. She could hear her father's deep voice but her mother's voice didn't reach her.

"You actually think this is Corlan?" the king asked doubtfully.

The queen's response was only a murmur but Setsuna guessed it was in the affirmative.

"But how could you? We haven't heard from the Lady Adria in years, and suddenly this young man shows up claiming to be her son."

This time the queen's voice did reach her, probably because she had moved closer to the window. "He does carry the mark of her line, my dear. Lady Adria was exactly like him in every way, except that she was female. The ring he wears only adds to the proof."

"If you say so Chemarian. Now turn out those lights of yours and come to bed."

Setsuna stood still, holding her breath for many minutes after the lights went out. Then she carefully crept along the thin ledge, leaning back against the cool outer wall for support. With each step she concentrated only on the placement of her feet, the feel of the stone under the soles of her shoes. After nearly an hour of moving along the ledge she came to the old oak tree she used as a ladder. Pausing she took a deep breath and looked down the small space between the palace wall and the nearest branch that would hold her weight. Forcing her breathing to remain calm and even she tried not to think about the one time she had miscalculated and fallen half way down the tree before she managed to stop herself, breaking her arm in the process.

One more deep breath and she was ready. Leaning away from the wall she stretched her arm out and grabbed one of the flimsier branches. Using it she pulled a slightly stronger branch into reach of her fingers. Once she was sure she had a firm grip on it she flexed her knees and pushed away from the wall. Under her weight the branch bent down farther, until she felt the branch she wanted under her feet. Sinking to her knees she wrapped her legs around the branch and hooked her feet underneath. Then she let go of her support branch. With its assistance gone she wobbled a little. She steadied herself by laying right down on her belly.

Now she could move a little faster than she had on the wall and she made it to the ground in a few moments. When she was on solid ground she leaned against the tree and finally allowed herself to relax.

"Almost married and you're still using that escape route," a male voice said behind her, only slightly mocking.

Setsuna spun around and peered into the darkness the stars in the sky couldn't penetrate. Finally one shadow moved away from the others and she sighed in relief. "I should have known," she laughed, "Only you would have the guts to frighten the royal princess out of her wits, Bryant."

"I live only to serve," he replied, sweeping a low bow that would have looked normal on any noble. But on this certain stable boy she could see it for the mockery it was.

"Oh, Bryant. You know I only wish. You also know that you know way too much about me for me to ever call you anything but friend." She walked up to him and grabbed his hand, pulling him away from the castle and out into the fields where the horses were kept. "Come, let us go for a ride."

She noticed that Bryant's grip tightened slightly but paid it no mind. "As the lady wishes. Just remember, this time I won't be covering up for you if you fall in the mud."

The princess stopped and looked back, her hands on her hips, "Yes you will, if only because I ask so sweetly."

Bryant snorted, "Yeah right. There is no chance of you ever giving anyone a toothache."

"Oh?" Setsuna asked, delicately arching an eyebrow. "We'll see about that." Then her serious stance was gone and she took off for the fence, "First one there gets MistFire!"

Bryant was hot on her heals. "Oh no you don't! The horse is way too wild for you!" The worry in his voice was marred only by his laughter.

Vaulting up over the fence like Bryant had taught her so many years ago, Setsuna reached the stables first and grabbed a halter off the wall. She came to a skidding stop in front of the last stall. Moving cautiously up to the door she peered into the stall. Standing along the back wall, his ears laid back in alarm, stood a tall silver-gray stallion. His eyes rolled as Setsuna opened the door and stepped in with him.

"Shh," she murmured, holding out a handful of oats. "You know me, beautiful. Yes, you've let me ride before, haven't you. You know I would never hurt you." Continuing to say things along those same lines she watched as the tension left the horse and he stretched his neck to lip up the oats. While he was otherwise occupied, she slipped the halter on with her other hand. He shied only a moment before her voice calmed him again. When all the oats were gone she led him out of the stall and over to the mounting block.

MistFire was obviously remembering her from other midnight rides and readily accepted her on his bare back. With a gentle hand, Setsuna moved him out into the field.

Waiting outside, Bryant was already mounted bareback on his own horse, a mare just as tall as MistFire named StarSong. "No matter how many times I see you do that, I still can't believe it," Bryant said, shaking his head. His russet hair fell into his eyes and he had to brush it away before he could see her again.

"That's good," Setsuna said, "That means, if one of the nobles, or anyone for that matter, were to see and recognize me, no one would believe them. For who would believe that the princess would ever be able to ride the horse no one else can get near."

Looking up at the night sky, Bryant whispered something Setsuna couldn't hear then he kicked his mare into a gallop. "Let's race!"

Always up to beating her best friend at something, Setsuna gave MistFire his head and they were soon racing neck and neck with StarSong. Ducking lower along the stallions head, Setsuna patted his neck and whispered in his ear, asking for more speed. He gave it to her willingly. It wasn't often he got to race across the large field like this, and no mare was going to beat him when he got his chance. 

They were soon pulling up at the far gate, the stables no more than a dot on the horizon. Bryant caught up moments later and pulled StarSong along beside her. "You are such a show off. I thought princess's were supposed to learn modesty."

"I must have skipped that class to kick your ass in something." She lightened her words with a brilliant smile in his direction.

Shaking his head Bryant couldn't help but smile back. Getting StarSong to start back at a walk he said, "You are getting way too cocky for your own good. I could probably teach you a few things. And I should. Then you would realize you aren't an expert at everything, at least not yet."

Falling into step beside him she asked, "And just what would these things be, that you could teach me?"

This time Bryant couldn't meet her eyes, instead staring off into some distance between StarSong's ears. "Not things a princess should be hearing about."

Setsuna swallowed, trying to get rid of the odd emotions that clogged her throat. If she didn't know better, she would have sworn she was jealous, or worse, disappointed. "Come three days, my eighteenth birthday, and I will know just what you know, for then I will no longer be a maid, but a wife."

Bryant visibly tensed and tightened his grip on the reigns until his knuckles were white. "The wedding," he muttered, along with something else Setsuna couldn't hear. Then he looked over at her and said, "So, I take it you saw the lucky man at the dinner tonight."

"Yes," Setsuna sighed, "And he is so very handsome."

"Is he now, I bet. He may look it but I doubt he's ever worked a day in his life." 

Setsuna looked at Bryant through narrowed eyes, shocked at the bitterness in his voice.

"You mean like me? I've never worked at anything but my studies," the coldness in her voice matched the bitterness in his.

He had the gallantry to look ashamed. "You're different. You helped me in the stables lots of times. You just never thought of that as work because you always make everything a game."

"How do you know that Corlan never helped out?" she demanded.

"Is that his name? Corlan?"

"Yes. Does that bother you?"

"Yeah, it bothers me."

"For the Lady's sake, why?"

"I don't know," he started then seemed to change his mind, "Yes, I do know. It bugs me because he bugs me. Your whole wedding bugs me!" Kicking StarSong into a gallop he left Setsuna wondering over his sudden outburst.

She had never known him to get so upset about anything that didn't have to do with the horses. And he had never yelled at her before, at least not when he was actually serious about it. By the time she reached the stables he was long gone. She moved about the chore of rubbing MistFire down automatically, not actually thinking about it. Setsuna was about to head back to the oak tree, when a man stepped into her line of view.

Starlight reflected off his neatly groomed, white-blond hair, the rest of him faded into the shadows. "Lover's quarrel?" he asked her.

Setsuna turned on him and looked Corlan in the eyes. She calmed, reminding herself that punching her husband-to-be would not be a good thing. "Sir, you assume too much. He is merely a friend."

"I am sorry Princess. You are right, I do assume too much. I didn't realize things were so different here that the royal heir would actually be friends with a mere stable boy." Corlan bowed his apology. He meant that bow just as much as Bryant had mocked it earlier.

Setsuna relaxed only slightly, remembering that no matter how she was dressed, she was still the princess and soon to be this man's wife. "Apology accepted, sir. May I ask just what it is you are doing out here, this time of the night?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing, but the answer is obvious," he evaded her question, raking his eyes over her attire.

Strangely, Setsuna didn't feel the same shiver of disgust she felt when some of the nobles looked at her like that. Instead, she felt a heat that she didn't recognize. "When I am restless, I like to ride."

Corlan nodded, accepting her answer. "Shall I escort you back to your rooms, Princess?"

"That is not necessary," Setsuna declined. "I shall be able to find my way on my own." Turning her back to him she disappeared into the shadows along the palace wall, using them to hide her trip back to the oak tree.

Back in her room, she didn't bother undressing, just fell onto her bed. The past couple of hours had definitely been interesting. First, Bryant's mood changed so dramatically she had barely recognized him. Then, just talking to Corlan, even though he had clearly insulted her with both his words and his eyes, had made her feel better. Including the emotions she couldn't name that were only now calming down. When her left hand fell away from where she had been playing with her thin silver ring, Setsuna realized she was falling asleep. Getting up and hiding her clothes back under her bed, she climbed under her covers and was asleep as soon as her head rested on her pillow.


	2. Day Two

Sorry this took so long to update. 

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Day Two

Waking with the sun, Setsuna stretched and snuggled deeper into the warmth of her comforter. She knew that her personal maid would not be there for a few more hours to help her wash and get ready for breakfast. Whenever there was a large gathering at the palace for special occasions, the queen did not serve lunch. Instead she served breakfast late then made sure the cooks had tables of snacks set out for the nobles to eat until dinner time. 

Sighing, Setsuna threw off the blanket and stood up. Unfortunately she had never been able to lounge in bed like the queen seemed so willing to do. Especially when she was troubled. Her dreams last night had been tormented by her fight with Bryant, filled with monsters that came and destroyed her wedding, killing him in the process. 

Pulling the bell rope by her bed, she opened her closet and started trying to decide what she should wear today. When the maid, Megan, finally came knocking on her door, stammering her apologies for being late, Setsuna assured her she knew Megan hadn't expected to be needed until later in the day.

"I would like a long, hot bath," she said. "Other than that, you can have the rest of the day off for all I care. I am quite able to dress myself."

"Oh, no Princess Setsuna," the maid whispered, horrified. "Your mother really would never allow that. You must have help with your hair, which must be done again later when you change into your evening gown."

Setsuna sighed again. It seemed her life was slowly becoming less and less her own. "All right. We can't have Mother getting angry at you, now can we. Tell you what, help me with my bath, then do my hair. Fix it up high so that all I have to do is pull out a few pins so that the style is different for tonight."

Scurrying around the room, pulling out all the little accessories the princess would need, Megan argued, "That will not do either. Your mother will have a fit if you wear your hair up in the morning. It is just not done."

"I don't care if it isn't done. It is how I want it to be. If you don't agree, than you can just leave my hair to me and I shall style it how I see fit." Setsuna's temper was starting to flare and Megan must have sensed it, for she suddenly agreed with everything the princess was saying.

"Yes Princess. That is a good idea. I will pour your bath then be out of your way. Thank you graciously for your generosity."

When Megan had retreated from the room, Setsuna lowered her body into the bubble covered water. When she was used to the high temperature, she dunked her whole head under the surface, staying under long enough for her whole body to totally relax. While she was underwater, she allowed her mind to wander. 'Oh how I wish Chelsea had never married,' she thought. Chelsea had been her ladies maid from the time she was five years old until two years ago. She had allowed Setsuna to do what she pleased. It had been her that had saved the princess from the tree before her mother found her perched like a bird with a broken wing.

Finally she rose up out of the water, taking a deep breath to make up for the moments she had just spent not breathing. She stopped thinking about her life as she scrubbed her body and hair clean. This was why she loved bathing so much. It seemed to be the only place she could stop her mind from running over things again and again.

She got out only when the water became too cold to bear. Then she stepped out and wrapped up in a couple thick towels, one for her hair and the other for her body. She dried off slowly, watching the horses run through the field below her window. Faintly, way off in the distance, she could see someone riding a small, fat pony - one that seemed almost too fragile to hold him. Setsuna knew that it was Bryant. Being just a stable boy, he had been given the pony years ago and he was expected to use only that one until it became to old too carry him. She wasn't worried for either him or the pony though. He was an excellent horseman and the pony was still as strong and willing as ever.

Turning away from window, she walked to the pile of clothes on her bed. She dropped the towel to the floor, forgotten, and began to dress. She started with the ruby red nylons and garters, then a silk shift. Over the shift she should have pulled on the corset that was sitting and waiting, but she never could stand it. Ignoring it, she grabbed the main part of her outfit. It was an emerald green, only a few shades lighter than her hair. The bodice was modest enough, cut to cover both shoulders, if maybe on the snug side. It was the bottom half that would scandalize her mother. It was so tight it molded to her legs almost like a pair of pants, how she walked in it she didn't know, just that somehow she always managed. So that the queen would not order her to change immediately she picked up a separate skirt. This piece of her dress was three layers of cloth thick and wide enough on the bottom that it would hide her legs efficiently. The two outside panels of material were a midnight black and when she walked the middle panel would show a green that perfectly matched the dress. The cut of the skirt brought the hem right down to the floor in the back and sweeping up in the front so that the green dress, with its snug fit, could still be seen. On her feet, she slipped a pair of black sandals.

Finally finished with the clothing she settled herself in front of the mirror to do her hair. Pulling the towel off she let her wet hair fall, the tip reaching pasting her seat on the stool. Picking up a brush she began to work out the knots. When that was done she grabbed her hair in her fist and with a few twists of her wrist and a few pins, her hair was shortened to half it's length. The rest was tucked snugly against her head, almost hidden by the extra hair that she positioned to hang over the hasty style.

Smiling at herself in the mirror, she tucked her chain within the bodice of her dress and stood. She was satisfied with the look she had achieved. Queen Chemarian could never openly criticize her about it because nothing she had done was openly going against her mother's idea of decorum. Her legs were covered, as was her cleavage. Her hair was not falling freely, though it was also not curled to match the style her mother had set. The end effect had a quick yet elegant look to it. Something the queen had never been able to copy. 

Setsuna felt only a twinge of guilt as she opened her door. She did love her mother, she just hated the queen and the queen's constant rules.

Down in the dining room, everyone was finding their seat, then standing to wait for the royal family to be seated. Setsuna walked up to her chair, nodding her hello's to her father and the prince. She smiled at her mother, noting the look of disapproval in the older woman's eyes. Seating herself, she got ready to enjoy her meal and then go find Bryant as soon as her mother would allow.

All the dishes had already been cleared away when Setsuna was finally allowed to leave. The queen followed her out into the hall. "Setsuna! I would like you to show Prince Corlan around the palace and the surrounding grounds. He is to be your husband and Pluto's next king; you will get to know him."

"Mother," Setsuna protested, "I have to go find Bryant; there is something I must say to him."

Chemarian looked down at her daughter, or at least that was the impression Setsuna got, considering they were the same height. "I suggest you show Corlan around, Setsuna. Bryant is not your main concern here, no matter that he is your best friend." The queen turned to go then added over her shoulder, "You are a full grown lady, Setsuna and soon to be a wife and a queen. There will be no more sneaking out of your room, or I will have that tree cut down."

"How did you know?" Setsuna asked in surprise. But her mother ignored her, walking back into the great hall. Though she was gone, Setsuna didn't have a chance to leave because Corlan joined her almost immediately. "Did you tell her?" she demanded to know.

Chuckling, Corlan looked over her outfit, obviously liking what he saw. "Why would I do that? I was hoping you would agree to sneak out and join me for a ride later tonight."

Setsuna looked at him in disbelief. "You were?"

"Is it really so hard to believe that I would enjoy the chance to be in the company with such a lovely centaur as yourself?"

Leading the way out of the palace and into the extensive gardens, she asked, "What is a centaur?"

Looking down at her, Corlan offered his arm and smiled when she accepted. "Where I come from..."

"On the Continent of Light?"

"Yes. Actually, only in the farthest corner south are they said to exist now. Anyway, there are stories of creatures that are half-human, half horse. Where the horse's head and neck should be, there is instead the upper half of a human male or female. I called you one because when I saw you ride last night, it appeared as if you were as one with your mount."

Staring up at him, Setsuna heard the compliment and blushed, though she refused to show she acknowledged the weakness by looking away.

"It is said," Corlan continued, "that many years ago, long before your family took the throne, these creatures ruled the continent. But they were a fighting species, always warring among their separate clans. Eventually the fighting became so fierce that the humans were able to force them to run to the area where they now live."

"That's horrible!" Setsuna exclaimed.

"What is?"

"What the humans did. These centaurs sound like magnificent creatures, and we took from them what was rightfully theirs."

It was Corlan's turn to wear a look of disbelief. "You actually believe the story?" Then his look turned from one of disbelief to the kind of look an adult would give a naive child. "Of course you would. Your life has been so sheltered that you probably believe the stories about life on the other planets as well."

Setsuna stepped away from him, her red-brown eyes turning even redder with anger. "Of course I believe that. Why shouldn't I, when it is the truth."

"What proof do you have?" Corlan challenged.

Setsuna knew she had no proof of any sort but she stood her ground. She would not let go of a belief, a dream, she had held on to her whole life just because an arrogant prince doubted her. "I know because I know. I trust what my instinct and dreams tell me."

Corlan stopped walking and she was a few steps away before she realized it. Looking back she saw that he had the weirdest expression on his face. She couldn't describe it but it gave her the chills. Just as suddenly he was smiling at her again and her feeling was gone. "Are you one of those people who can see the future in your dreams?"

"No," Setsuna laughed, "I am no more able to see the future than those poor centaurs of your story are able to get along. Now, shall we continue with our walk?"

"Certainly." Corlan once again offered his arm and they continued walking through the gardens. Setsuna asking endless questions about his home land.

After heading back to the palace for a snack from the large selection set up in the great hall, Setsuna was about to go out to the stables and find Bryant when Corlan approached her again.

"It would seem that you are in a hurry to leave my company."

"No, that's not it. It's just that..." Setsuna quickly started to defend herself.

"Prove it," Corlan suggested, "Go for a ride with me."

"I would love to," Setsuna agreed, since that was where she was headed anyway, and her mother would be angry if she declined. It wasn't all bad though. She had indeed been enjoying her visit with the prince. He was charming, sweet, smart, and a total gentleman. What else could she ask for? 

When they reached the stables, she walked over to the fourth stall. Within was a russet colored mare, as tall as MistFire, but so much more appropriate for a princess. Setsuna loved the mare, named Last Wish, but she was meant for a leisurely ride, not the high speeds galloping she craved, especially considering the groom had just brought out her sidesaddle.

"Which horse shall you be riding lord?" she heard the stable master ask.

"How about this one," Corlan said.

Looking over she saw him standing in front of MistFire's stall. Holding in a shout that would be totally un-lady like, she walked as quickly as her skirt would allow over to them. "Oh, no Prince Corlan. That horse is a monster. He is not fit for anyone to ride. At least, that is what Master Brooke tells me." She smiled sweetly at the aging stable master.

Corlan looked over at her. "Oh really?" he asked, a hint of laughter in his voice.

"The lady is right," Master Brooke said, "Ain't nobody been able to halter that boy, let alone saddle him. Keep him around because the king fancies the colts he keeps siring. They're so fast, it is hard to imagine how fast he could be."

"I'm sure it is very hard to imagine," Corlan agreed, sending a meaningful look in Setsuna's direction.

The stable master helped the Prince pick a more suitable mount and Setsuna walked back over to where Last Wish was being saddled. Even though she trusted the groom completely she checked the straps herself. As she did she asked, "Where would Bryant be? I thought you were on feeding duty today?"

The young groom shrugged, "I was, lady. But Bryant, he says he wanted time out there, so he traded me. Fine by me though, I'd much rather be in here anyway."

"Could you tell him I was looking for him?"

"How about telling him yourself."

Setsuna turned to see Bryant walking into the stables. "Bryant, I need to talk to you. I never meant to make you angry yesterday. I just wish you would tell me what is wrong."

"Princess, are you ready to go?" Corlan asked as he led the gelding he had chosen forward.

"Prince Corlan, I suspect," Bryant said, bowing low. This time the bow held no mockery. In fact, Setsuna guessed it was tense with anger.

"Right. And you would be?"

"Corlan," Setsuna said, before Bryant could say something he might regret, "This is Bryant, stable boy and my best friend since childhood."

Bryant looked at her as if to say he could speak for himself just fine. Then he took a step forward to help her into her saddle. Corlan saw that movement and moved in front of him, helping Setsuna himself. 

Setsuna looked down at Bryant from her precarious perch in regret. She wanted to talk to him, she missed him. Since their fight yesterday, she had wanted to speak to him but it seemed Corlan kept getting in the way. "I'll talk to you later," she promised him, then kneaded Last Wish forward and out of the stable.

"Is that the man you were out with last night?" Corlan asked once they were away from the stables.

"Yes, why?"

Corlan looked over at her then back to where they were going. "I thought you said you two weren't lovers."

"We're not!" Setsuna exclaimed. "Why in the Lady's name do you think otherwise?"

"I thought it would be obvious. He doesn't look at you as if you were his 'best friend'. He looks at you more like he is feeling a great lust for you and is desperately trying to hide it," he told her quite blatantly.

Setsuna pulled Last Wish to a stop and looked at Corlan in shock. "He does no such thing! We have known each other and played together since I was five years old and he was seven. There is no way what you are suggesting could possibly be true."

"If that is what you want to believe," Corlan said, "But I am a hunter. I can sense competition quite easily."

Setsuna looked at him out of the corner of her eye. She didn't understand his remark at all. Maybe it was just another thing from his homeland. There had been many comments like that throughout the day. 'Damn my ignorance,' she thought venomously. 

Realizing the time, she turned Last Wish around, "I must head back now if I am to have time to get ready for dinner this evening."

"As you wish, Princess. Let's go then." Corlan turned the gelding around and led the way back to the stables. 

Setsuna remained silent the whole way back. What Corlan had said about Bryant wouldn't leave her alone. 'Is it true? Does he think of me as more than a friend? Or is Corlan only worried his bride will not be a virgin?'

She left her mare to the groom, promising a carrot to Last Wish later, to make up for not brushing the mare down herself.

She left Corlan in the stables, hurrying back up to the palace on her own. She turned a corner to take a short cut through the gardens and almost ran into a man that was standing there. "Excuse me, sir. The main gardens are that way. This plot is for family only."

The man looked down at her and Setsuna got the oddest impression that his black eyes were seeing right through her and killing everything they saw. She was too terrified by him to even shiver. 

"I'm sorry. You must be the Princess Setsuna." 

She could only nod in the affirmative. His voice sounded as if it were coming from a dead man. That was the only thing Setsuna could come up with that would account for the monotone in his words.

"I am looking forward to your wedding. I hear it is going to be a hell of a show." The man walked away and only after he was gone, did Setsuna begin to shiver. She didn't know why or how she knew. She just knew that man was evil.

This time she didn't worry about appearing like a lady. She hiked her skirts up around her thighs to free her legs and ran for her room.

Once there, she slammed the door closed and bolted it. The shivering became uncontrollable shaking and she sank to the floor in the middle of her room. Her outer skirt was ripped from catching on the thorns of a rose bush and her hair had tumbled down in her terrified dash. She didn't care. All she could think about was how that man's eyes and voice had left her feeling so cold, she didn't think she would ever be warm again.

Suddenly there was a knocking at her door. Setsuna jumped up and backed up to the farthest wall. "Who... who's there?" she called uncertainly.

"It's Chelsea, Princess. The queen has asked Megan to help with her own hair while there is company. She ordered me back into the castle to help you."

Setsuna pushed away from the wall and cautiously opened the door. When she saw that it was indeed Chelsea, she yanked the older woman in and slammed the door shut again. She tried to pull the bolt once again but her hands were shaking so badly she couldn't manage it.

Chelsea pulled her away from the door and bolted it for her. Then she pushed Setsuna back so that she was sitting on the bed. "Tell me," she urged, "Tell me what has you so scared."

"I don't know," Setsuna admitted. "There was just this man, like any other of the nobles. Only, when he talked to me, I got this horrible feeling that he is evil. Completely evil." As she spoke her voice became calmer. Now that she had voiced her fear, it was seeming pretty silly.

"What did the man look like?" Chelsea asked. She wasn't laughing it off like Setsuna had expected her too. Instead she sounded completely serious.

"You mean, you actually believe me?" the princess asked, wondering if giving birth had made her friend go insane.

Chelsea sat on the bed and turned Setsuna to face her. "There were too many times when you were younger, that I had to comfort you after a nightmare. I always assured you it was just a dream, only to find out the next day, or the next week that what you dreamed had come true. Too many times for me to put this aside now as a case of nerves."

"I don't remember that ever happening," Setsuna admitted.

"That's because I never told you when your dreams came true because more often than not, the ones that came true were the nightmares." At Setsuna's horrified look she added, "But one dream did come true, that I know of. You had it years ago, when I had just become your maid. You woke me up in the middle of the night, a huge smile on your face and your eyes glowing that eerie red they glow whenever you have a dream that is going to come true. You told me that I was going to get married to a man with hair as red as fire and eyes that laughed. Then you said I was going to have two beautiful boys, one with black hair like mine, one with red like his. After awhile you added, 'I wish you could see them grow up.'"

After a silence Setsuna finally found her voice. "But that, that all came true."

"Except for the last part, yes."

Setsuna realized the implications of what she had apparently said, "Oh, Chelsea, I'm so sorry. I wish I knew what was going to happen."

Chelsea nodded, "So do I. The strange thing is, that was the only thing you were ever unclear about. Everything else you ever predicted was in perfect detail. That is what worries me the most."

"Why?"

"It is said, that those with the sight can't see events that will affect their own lives. That means that whatever takes my sons from me, or me from them, will change your life as well."

Setsuna stood up and inspected the rip in her skirt, her restlessness becoming unbearable. "This does not make me feel better at all. Not only am I terrified of this man, I now know that my fear is totally reasonable."

"I'm sorry, Princess. I told you what I thought you needed to hear."

"Don't worry about it. Knowing that what I am scared of is real and not my imagination makes things a little more manageable. Now, how about helping me get ready." Setsuna forced her fear away and smiled at her second best friend .

Chelsea laughed and walked over to the closet.

When Setsuna finally headed down to the great hall for supper, she was wearing a completely black dress. The front was tight and came right up to her neck to be held by a tight collar. It left her back bare until mid-back, where the waist started just below her chest. The bottom of it was loose and hung in waves down to the floor. At the 'waist' of the dress there was a silver chain that was sewn on to the material at every ten links or so, causing it to move separately from the dress, flashing in the light. It seemed that Chelsea disliked the idea of curling her hair more than she did. So all Chelsea had done was take a small chunk of hair from right behind Setsuna's ear and braided it up and over the top of her head, pinning it right behind her bangs. The end of it was then tucked behind the other ear. A second braid was pinned a few finger widths behind the first. This was continued until there were six braids crossing her head. A seventh braid was done from a chunk of hair at the very bottom of her hair, then used to hold the left over hair into a tail.

Overall, they were both satisfied with the effect.

Setsuna entered the great hall and took her seat. She suffered through another of her mother's speeches at the beginning of the meal and the end of the meal. As soon as it was safe to excuse herself she did, and headed straight back to her room. 

Leaving her hair as it was, she stripped out of her dress and pulled on the pants from under her bed. No matter what her mother said, she would not stay in her room. Besides, she had promised Bryant she would talk to him. Now she had more reasons than before. She wanted to tell him what Chelsea had told her and she had to know if what Corlan had said was true. Pulling on her riding boots she strode over to the window. But when she grabbed the handle to slide it up she found that it was stuck. A thorough search told her that her mother had sealed the window with magic.

"No," Setsuna growled, feeling her anger grow. Spinning on her heel she headed toward her mother's room, not caring who would see her in the clothes she wasn't supposed to have. But when she reached the royal chamber, she found that it was empty except for one maid. "Where are my parents?" she demanded.

"They were called to the council room by..."

Setsuna didn't hear the rest, she was running down the hall, determined to confront her mother. When she reached the council room, she saw that the door stood wide open and as many people as were possible were crowded outside of it. 'That's strange,' she thought, 'Meetings are always private.'

Pushing her way through she entered the room and stood just inside the door. No one noticed her, they were all too busy with their conversation.

"Where do they come from?" Queen Chemarian asked.

"We are not sure, my queen," the head general of the royal army, Magness, said, "We think they most likely came from farther out in the system. None of the planets closer to the sun have smart enough people, let alone enough technology, to build spacecraft of any sort."

Setsuna started. They had just admitted that there were humans on the other planets. 'Why, if they knew this, did they always tell me I was imagining things?'

"How many ships are there?" King Amund asked.

Another of the council members answered this time, "We believe there are at least fifty crafts located above the royal city. We don't know how many more there may be around the rest of the planet."

The look on her parents' faces matched what Setsuna was feeling. 'Fifty!' "That's impossible," she whispered. But even as she said it she was seeing images in her mind. Images of different places she knew to be apart from her parents kingdom. All of them were in flames, even the smallest had a sky full of strange crystalline ships.

"Princess Setsuna!" one of the council members gasped. "What are you doing here?"

"Mother? Is this all true? Are there enough ships to destroy our world?" Setsuna knew they had never mentioned that, but she also knew that it was the truth.

"Daughter," the king said, "There is no way they can destroy Pluto. We may have a war on our hands, but that doesn't mean anything is going to change."

"Yes Setsuna," the queen added, "Nothing will change. And to make sure people realize that we shall precede with your wedding as planned."

"My wedding?" Setsuna had totally forgotten she was to be married. "How can you think of that at a time like this!"

"You two," the queen pointed to two guards nearest the door, "Escort the princess back to her room and make sure she remains there for the remainder of the night."

"Mother!" Setsuna cried. She had no choice but to obey, except that she was tired of listening to her mother's orders. When one of the guards reached to grab her wrist she wrenched her arm away from him and took off down the hall. Determined to talk to Bryant she ran down the long twisting hallways. The sound of boots on the floor faded behind, but Setsuna wasn't stupid enough to think that she was outrunning them. They knew where she was going and would be able to catch up with her eventually.

She ran full-out until she reached the stables. Calling out for Bryant in-between breaths, she launched herself at the ladder that led up to the hay loft. 

"Setsuna!" Bryant exclaimed, looking down over the hole and almost getting hit by her as she pulled herself up. Offering a hand he helped her up into the hay loft, then she collapsed at his feet, fighting to catch her breath.

"Bryant!" she whispered. There was no time for her to catch her breath, she had to tell him now. "Above the city. There are spacecraft. Father won't say, but he's worried. And I saw them. Everywhere, burning everything."

When she finally stopped to catch her breath Bryant found a chance to speak. "Saw them? And just how did you do that?" Disbelief rang in his voice.

Setsuna felt as if she had been slapped. Never before had he doubted what she said, especially when she knew she sounded serious. "Why don't you believe me?"

"Look," Bryant said, sitting down beside her, "I believe something has you scared. You've never been winded just running here from the palace. But there is nothing in the sky but the stars. I know, I just came in from looking at them."

Grabbing his hands and kneeling in front of him, begging him with her eyes to believe her, she confessed, "I never saw them with my eyes. I saw them in my head!"

Bryant looked as if he might actually be starting to believe her, his need to believe and his common sense warring in his hazel eyes. "Come on, Setsuna," he said as his common sense won, "We gave that game up long ago and we aren't kids anymore. You aren't a priestess that the Lady sends visions to."

When he stood Setsuna stood with him. Suddenly she became even more desperate to have him believe her. There was a feeling in her gut that told her this was the last chance she would have to talk to him. "Please," she pleaded, grabbing his arm as he turned to walk away. "Please believe me, Bryant."

Looking down at her Bryant said, "If what you believe is true, maybe you should have someone stay with you for protection."

"There's no need to worry about that," she assured him, "Mother expects me to spend time with Corlan, getting to know him before the wedding."

Setsuna felt a chill run down her back as she saw Bryant's friendly eyes harden. "Of course," he muttered bitterly, "How could we forget about Corlan? Is it wise for you to be up here Princess? Won't your prince start to get suspicious?" 

"What are you talking about?"

Bryant snorted. "I'm sure he expects to have a maid in his marriage bed. Wouldn't want to disappoint him, now would we?"

Gasping in surprise and pain at his cutting words and tone, Setsuna stepped back from her friend.

"I'm sorry, Setsuna," Bryant whispered. His whole body seemed to drain off every emotion suddenly. "I didn't mean a word of it. But you had better go. It's possible you aren't safe here. I'll walk you back."

Confusion ran rampant through her heart and she forced herself to decline his offer. "The guards Mother sent after me should be here soon. I'll be fine." Even as she spoke, they could hear voices calling her name. She barely made it down the ladder before they were upon her, ready to make sure she went to her room this time.


	3. Day Three

A/N: I am so sorry this update took so long. I have no excuse except that I am a bad person. Please forgive me. To make it up to everybody reading this I am putting up the last to chapters together. Hope that makes it a little better. Anyway, enough from me

Enjoy!

________

Day Three

"Must they follow us everywhere?" Corlan asked, pointing towards the two guards.

"Unfortunately yes," Setsuna sighed, "Mother's orders. That and I must stay in the gardens. This new enemy has her terrified."

"That I don't doubt," Corlan said. "Tell me, what do you know about this enemy from the skies?"

"Princess...," one of the guards began.

Setsuna didn't even bother looking at him when she interrupted. "He is to be the future king. I'm sure Mother and Father won't mind if I tell him."

The guard didn't protest again.

"Well, I didn't hear much when I was at the conference. Only that there are about fifty of these alien ships above the city right now. They were discovered last night by the astronomer. He was busy checking to see if the planets were in a suitable alignment for our wedding." Setsuna looked at him, "Does that bother you? That they still want us to marry, even though we may be going to war?"

Corlan looked surprised by her question, "Of course it doesn't. In fact, I think that it is a good idea. This way, if your parents should die, one or both, there will be someone to take their place immediately. The planet will not be left with no ruler."

Setsuna stared at him. He had a point but, it was her parents he was talking about so cruelly. Before she had a chance to voice her protests he asked, "What else do they know?"

"Well, it is known that these ships seem to be made completely of some sort of dark crystal. I don't think I've ever seen it before. Also, these ships shoot beams of pure energy to destroy things, almost like black lightening." Setsuna continued telling him, never once realizing that what she told him was details her parents couldn't possibly know. It was all information she had received from her vision.

When she stopped talking, Corlan waited for a moment than said, "It appears to me that this topic is distressing you more than a little. Why don't you tell me about the wedding? Things are different where I come from and I have no idea what will be happening."

Setsuna indeed did feel relief over that change of topic, though it was to another one she would rather not talk about. 'Oh well,' she thought, mentally shrugging her shoulders, 'Anything is better than war.'

"It will start at the beginning of sunset. Just like your continent has the longest days, we have the longest sunset. It will last half the night." She was silent for a moment, "I've always wondered why our sunrise isn't the same, instead of barely lasting any time at all." She shook her head to put her thoughts back on course. "The main part will all be done during the sunset. After, there will be the ball, which my mother has been planning forever it seems."

"Let me guess, just as the sun sets, that's when we will be pronounced husband and wife?"

Setsuna looked down at the ground. That's what she had thought at first as well, at least, that was how it was done for the other weddings she had attended. "Actually no. My mother told me that there will be a surprise guest. Someone that only she has met before. I'm hoping it will be the person that..." her voice trailed off and she reached up to touch the chain that disappeared into her dress.

Corlan noticed her reaction to whatever it was she had planned on saying. "The person that what? Does it have to do with this?" He reached up and placed his hand over hers.

Setsuna stopped breathing. Her heart beat sped up, though out of fear or excitement she couldn't tell. His hand was perilously close to her chest. She moved her eyes up from where his hand lay on hers to his nearly black eyes. Suddenly that was all she could see. Then she heard him speak in a flat, soothing voice, or did she hear him? Or was it only her own thoughts she was hearing.

"Why don't you show me the necklace, Setsuna. Show me what you are hiding."

His hand tugged on hers and she followed the movement, her eyes never leaving his. Absently she could feel the cold medal of the chain, trailed by the warmth of the pendant, moving up from its resting place between her breasts. 'What are you doing!' her thoughts screamed at her. She jerked away from his touch as if burned, but as soon as she broke eye contact with him, she couldn't remember a thing. Looking up at him shyly she said, "I'm sorry, I don't know..."

"I'm the one who should be sorry," he interrupted, his voice still strangely flat, "I am moving too fast; we are not yet married. I shouldn't be kissing you, not yet."

Setsuna's eyes flashed red briefly. Corlan sat up straight, moving away from her. "What was that? What is wrong with your eyes?"

Shaking her head, her elaborate hair style threatening to tumble down from atop her head, Setsuna tried to clear her vision. Yet no matter how hard she tried she couldn't. Hoping to make it go away, she focused as far away as she could, looking through the gardens until the trees blocked her view. Suddenly a gasp ripped from her throat. No matter where she looked she didn't see what she knew she should see. Instead all the trees were merely burned out stumps, all the flowers were turned to ash and blowing around her in the wind. Hearing Corlan's voice, she followed it until she found the young man sitting in front of her, yet, after only a moment that visage disappeared. To be replaced by a fiendishly red wolf. Its jaws hung open and it looked at her with a fierce hunger in it's demonic eyes.

The wolf spoke her name and Setsuna couldn't control herself. She stood up from her seat and started to flee, making it only a few steps before she fell to the ground in a faint.

_Everything was a blur around her. Everything except the huge wolf in front of her. It snarled and the animal sound turned into a gravelly voice, "Dear princess, how sad it is, that you should die at your own wedding. And by the jaws of your husband-to-be as well. So sad... Too bad there will be no one left to mourn you." Then it lunged at her and all she could do was raise her arms to protect her face and pray._

The impact never came and she opened her eyes to see a woman with long hair as green as her own standing before her. Setsuna got the strangest sense of familiarity from this lady, but she didn't have a chance to think about it before she saw the wound in the woman's side.

Rushing forward, she caught the tall warrior as she collapsed to the ground. "Setsuna," the woman said in a voice that seemed much too quiet for her. "Setsuna, you must take my staff. Take my staff and say, 'Take me to the time gate'. You must do this and you must do it now!"

"I can't," Setsuna whispered. "I can't leave you. Besides, the time gate, it is only a myth. It can't be real."

Even as she felt the tears in her eyes start to fall, the princess saw the woman in her arms fade out and then back into reality. But there was something different about this copy of the woman. While they looked identical, the other had shown confidence in everything about her, and her eyes looked as if they had seen too much time pass, too much suffering. This one was almost shy, looking as if she had to force herself to meet Setsuna's eyes. When Setsuna did get a look at those eyes she noticed that not only weren't they quite as red as before, but they also seemed younger somehow. And though the pain that was visible was still the same, it looked fresher somehow.

What disconcerted her the most, was that Setsuna knew this woman. Knew her as if she had grown up with her. In fact, "You're me," she whispered in awe.

"Yes I am," the woman said, standing up to reveal that the wound was gone. With a gentle, almost hesitant touch, the woman reached down and covered Setsuna's eyes. "Remember nothing. You are not supposed to know this yet. Remember nothing."

"Princess Setsuna? Setsuna, are you all right?" Corlan's voice was the first thing she heard when she woke up, his face the first thing when she opened her eyes. At first she felt an unexplainable fear of him but it was gone quickly. Gone and forgotten before she could try and explain it. 

"What happened?" she asked, her voice surprisingly strong. "The last thing I remember, you asked me about the wedding." Taking the hand he offered she stood and looked at the guards questioningly. 

"We aren't sure what happened Princess. We were staying a short distance away when suddenly Prince Corlan called out. We rushed over to find you just opening your eyes."

Setsuna looked at the young man and suddenly felt sorry for him. He looked as if he were having trouble meeting her eyes, as if he felt guilty for neglecting his duties. "Don't worry about it. I did ask you to stay back. Now though, now I think I'll go back up to the castle. Maybe my mother can use an extra set of hands. Corlan?" She turned to see that he was looking not at her exactly, more through her to a point off in the trees.

"That's okay Princess. I'll just finish walking through the gardens. You go to your mother." 

"I'll see you at dinner tonight. Till then?"

"Till then," Corlan said, kissing her hand in farewell before turning to continue down the path.

"Shall we?" she asked the guards and started back towards the palace.

Back up at the castle though, she didn't even bother pretending to look for her mother. Instead she quietly let herself into the library. It was a large room and rose up two floors. All four walls at this level were lined with bookshelves that reached the ceiling. A ladder had to be used to reach the top shelves. The only part of the walls not lined by books was were the floor to ceiling windows stood, letting enough light in for the readers. On the window where dozens of small suncatchers and they cast their rainbow lights around the room. In the middle of the room was a great fireplace, grated all around so that the room would stay comfortably warm. Around the fireplace were half a dozen matching chairs, all of them padded generously. The top floor, which was where Setsuna was headed, once again had walls covered in shelves and the large windows. But instead of chairs around the fireplace, there were more, smaller bookshelves. It was one of these that Setsuna found herself standing in front of. 

Running her fingers over the familiar bindings she picked up a leather green bound book. She paused a moment before lifting the cover. The letters of the title were done in gold leaf, slightly scuffed due to age. Gently, almost as if she were afraid they would break, she traced the letters with her finger. The title read: The Guardian of Time. 'That's strange,' she thought. Out loud she mumbled, "I've been all over this rack. Where did you come from?" The book didn't answer. 'Of course it won't answer,' Setsuna scolded herself. Curious as to what lay between it's covers, she didn't bother waiting until she had found the comfort of one of the reading chairs. She just opened the book and started reading where she stood.

The first line caught her attention:

_The Guardian of Time is more than a legend; she is real. Yet she is more than real; she is the stuff legends are made of._

Setsuna stopped there. Setting the book carefully down on the floor she lowered herself after it, careful of her skirt. Once seated, leaning against the very shelf she had found this book in, she started to read once again.

_The Guardian of Time is more than a legend; she is real. Yet she is more than real; she is the stuff legends are made of._

The warrior that holds the key of Pluto is destined to enter the Gate of Time. Within these gates time no longer exists as most mortals know it. Here time is the basis for everything and with a single thought the Guardian can appear anywhere along the timeline.

I am the current Guardian of Time, the current Sailor Pluto. I have held my post for thousands of years and in all those years I have not aged past eighteen. I was eighteen when I took up my post, just as all Guardians must be.

Setsuna turned the page, her eyes never straying from the book. Legends fascinated her, and already this one had entered her list of favorites. She continued to read, learning about a place called the Moon Kingdom, during a time the author called the Silver Millenium.

The princess found that she was crying as she finished that particular story, told from the guardian's point of view. Setsuna could almost feel the helplessness this Sailor Pluto felt as she watched the princess she had sworn to protect lose everything and everyone she loved. Finally she pulled her dead prince's sword from its scabbard and impale herself on it.

The next story in the legend took place before the attack on the Moon Kingdom. The events happened on a planet called Earth and Setsuna was stunned by the hatred she could feel in the guardian's words. A hatred and, again, a helplessness as she watched the Queen's Beryl and Metallia ready the attack that would destroy the Silver Millenium.

_Standing here in front of the Gate of Time, I can looked out into the world. The point I watch is the time that is. Not the future or the past, but the present I am forbidden to interfere with. On Earth, on the most northern continent, spreads a castle made of a stone that has turned black from the evil within. With a thought I can see inside the castle, down into the deepest levels where the two Queens talk of the coming battle._

"We need more soldiers," Beryl demanded, "If we don't have them, the Moon Kingdom will win!"

I focus on this Beryl. I have watched her grow from an abandoned farm girl into this creature that is power hungry, and ready to gain her revenge on those she believes to be at fault for her lost childhood. Her hair is as deep a red as the blood she is so eager to spill, and her skin looks paler than the whitest of snows. The ruby red dress she wears is skin tight and a familiar cut. I have seen something similar on Sailor Mars many times, though my friend manages to make it look elegant.

The creature that Beryl talks to, Metallia, answers from within the black mist that shrouds everything but her eyes. "Patience, Beryl," her voice is gravelly and aggravates my already growing headache, "We will triumph. There is no need to bother yourself with that. The Sailor Soldiers are no match for the power of the negaverse."

The negaverse. I shudder at the name of a place that shouldn't exist but does. Made to accommodate a growing evil, populated by poor souls that are trapped within their own bodies. Unable to do anything while these two queen's control their limbs. Then the portal's picture changes, though I have not willed it so. Now I see four young men standing at attention just inside the door. They wear the uniforms of the Earth Guard, for indeed they were the Prince of Earth's personal guard and friends. Now though, their eyes are black and they are under her control. 

Setsuna flipped forward in the book. While the time sequence of events didn't bother her, she enjoyed learning things as they happened in this guardian's life, instead of how they happen in the real world. What bothered her was that this legend was written differently than any others she had read. Most were written about the creature or place of legend. This one was written as if the author was this Guardian of Time, writing down her life and thoughts as she had lived it and thought them. But that wasn't possible, because a legend is gone, or never was. The heroes shouldn't be able to write about themselves. Then another chapter caught her eye. It was written in a quick scrawl, so unlike the neat calligraphy that filled the rest of the pages. It was titled simply, 'The Past.'

The end is coming for my reign as the Guardian of Time. I can see it approach in both the future and the past. Two portals are open before me, one shows the events that will happen in a few days time. Two of my friends, Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune, will die in a battle. But I can't let that happen, they are needed in the future. We are all needed in the future or not only will this universe be lost to the negaverse but so will the next. My decision is made, I only hope I can trust myself enough to do what I must do. 

The other portal shows the young girl I was more than a millennia ago. This is the girl that will take my place when I die. Though I know she can handle it, for she is me and I have managed my post well, I wish I did not have to make her give up her life. I wish that I could save myself and her, but she was born to this destiny, as I was born to mine. All the guardians will be needed; it is better for her to lose her normal life at the time that I lose my mortal one, than for the future of our galaxy to be lost. 

I must go now, and I hope that this young girl will appreciate the memories I will pass onto her with my staff.

Setsuna closed the book with a heavy thud. There was an odd sense of foreboding tightening in her heart. This was no ordinary legend, of that she was sure. On impulse she pulled the small charm out from under her bodice. The delicately carved golden key shone in the diminishing light. It was only then that she realized just how much time had passed since she had entered the library. With a quiet groan, muffled by tightly closed lips, she lifted herself up from her position on the floor. She had been so engrossed in the book that she had never even realized when she had become uncomfortable. 

Limping slightly on a foot that had fallen asleep, Setsuna made her way out of the library and up to her room. Supper should be called soon and she wasn't anywhere near being ready. The queen would definitely not be happy with that. Tossing the book onto the pillows at the head of her bed, she turned to inspect herself in the mirror. Sometime during the day her hairpins had fallen out and now her green hair was waving around her slim figure. Reluctantly she picked up her brush to start fixing it but the same sense of foreboding that had come to her in the library came to her again. Only this time it didn't disappear. With a wistful glance out her window towards the horse's fields, she stepped back out into the hall. 

She had to get outside, even if it was only into the private gardens. They were large enough that she could lose herself in them for awhile, giving her time to think and shake off this feeling. Luck held with her and no guards spotted her. They would only demand that she return to the palace at once. Once hidden from view by the bushes and trees that lined the path, Setsuna started to relax. At first she kept her training about what a lady did and didn't do in mind. But the evening air was too sweet with the perfume of the many flowers, and she was sure the grass along the path would feel heavenly on her feet. With a sly smile she kicked off her shoes, not even bothering to pick them up. Then she pulled up her skirts and started to run in the grass, following the path but never allowing her bare feet to touch the stone.

After her short flight she slowed to a walk, allowing her delighted laughter to fade away. She was getting closer to the spot where she and Corlan had talked earlier and she didn't really want to go there. But this path led a full loop through the gardens and she would get back to the castle quicker if she continued forward. Besides, if she was out much longer, her mother would surely kill her.

Silence descended as her steps got smaller and smaller. The thoughts in her head were jumbled, though her weird feeling from earlier was gone. For some reason it had been replaced with thoughts of Bryant. The last time they talked, just last night, had ended badly. The conversation still confused her and she wished she knew what was upsetting him. Setsuna felt that she would be able to help him if only she knew. 

In an attempt to clear away the hurt Bryant had caused her, Setsuna took a deep breath of the night air. The air she inhaled left her gasping, it was so foul. There was something terribly wrong with that smell. Something she was sure she didn't want to find out about. But she was almost to the small clearing and there was no turning back now. The bench she and Corlan had rested on came into view and glittered eerily in the star light. 

The grass beneath it, in fact, all the grass she could see, also shone strangely. Suddenly the ground beneath her bare feet changed from the soothing cold that had almost numbed her toes to a sticky warmth. With a squeal of disgust she jumped onto the path, fully entering the small clearing. Looking down at her feet she had a frown pulling at the corners of her delicate mouth. Carefully she bent down and ran a finger across her foot, unable to determine what she had stepped in. Holding it close to her face so that she could see in the dim light she found that she couldn't focus. Not because of the lack of light but because her hand, as well as the rest of her, was shaking uncontrollably. 

'This isn't real,' she told herself, even as her heart admitted her terror. Slowly she raised her eyes from her blood covered finger out onto the grass. At the edge of the clearing, half hidden in the trees, was a lump that shouldn't be there. The few scattered clouds that had been blocking some of the light parted and Setsuna screamed.

The scream raised shouts throughout the gardens. Every guard at his post had probably heard her, or at least the guards set to this garden. No longer caring about the blood that coated the grass she ran towards the body. She hadn't counted on the grass being slippery though and she soon found herself sitting in a pool of blood. But now she was near enough to the body that she could touch it, could see it's face. Except that she couldn't see it's face, it was turned away from her and all she could see was the large gapping hole in it's chest. She wasn't sure if that was the killing wound though, for there was another one that would have been just as deadly. The throat was slit, the skin hanging in loose flaps, allowing the glistening white of the spinal column to show.

Holding back her stomach, determined not to lose it's contents, Setsuna reached out a none too steady hand. With a gentleness the dead man couldn't appreciate she grasped the chin and turned it's face towards her and the light brought up by one of the guards. 

Time froze. 

Setsuna couldn't breath, couldn't feel her heart beat, could no longer think. Staring up at her were a pair of eyes that she knew too well. Finally it sunk in. The body before her was no longer just a body. Bryant lay dead in front of her.

"NNNOOOOOOOO!!!!!!" Her anguished scream echoed through the night and her tears couldn't be controlled. She collapsed to the ground beside him in a fit of sobs. Her world had collapsed in on itself and her own crying was the only thing she could hear. She didn't hear the commotion around her until she was assisted to her feet by her father. Through tear blurred eyes she saw that she was getting blood all over him but at the moment he didn't seem to care. Off to the side, still on the path, she could see her mother standing with Corlan. Concern was visible on Chemarian's face but even that wouldn't make her venture out onto the grass.

When they reached the path, Chemarian did give up her own shawl to cover Setsuna's shoulders, despite the blood. Then she pulled her daughter into her embrace. They stood there for a long time while Setsuna cried into her mother's shoulder. Cried because she had just realized something deep in her heart and now it was too late. Too late for anything.

She loved Bryant and now he was gone.


	4. Day 4

_______  
Day Four

Darkness enshrouded her and Setsuna never wanted to leave it. The blackness of her dreamless sleep hid something from her. Something important, but that she did not want to remember. Eventually she lost the battle. Against her eyelids, she could see the memories returning to her. Revealing the truth. Almost as if she were still there she could smell the foul stench of the blood, could feel it sliding under her bare feet. But most of all she could see Bryant's limp body.

A strangled sob ripped from her throat but there were no more tears available for her to cry. The sound alerted the other person in the room and Chelsea's worried face filled Setsuna's vision.

"I was wondering if you would ever wake up. You never sleep past noon. In fact, if you hadn't awakened on your own I would have had to do it. You're mother is determined that the wedding will precede." This last sentence was filled with resigned disapproval.

Setsuna gasped and looked at her friend in disbelief. 'I still have to... the wedding will precede... I can't marry. I love Bryant!' "But, but Bryant..." she managed to get by the lump in her throat.

Chelsea shook her head. "I tried to convince your mother to postpone it at least a day. But she is positive that the wedding must take place today, on your birthday. She started talking about how it was your destiny and that this was how things had been planned on the day of your birth." Seeing that her words were disturbing the princess, Chelsea stopped talking.

Setsuna pushed away Chelsea's comforting hand and swung her feet off the bed. The nightgown she wore was hiked up around her thighs and the air was chilly on her legs. As she stood the gown swung down to cover her but the chill remained. Walking to the window she pulled the curtains back and was dismayed to see the bright sun in a clear blue sky. Why couldn't there be black clouds and raging winds to match the emotional turmoil in her soul. "Why did he have to die?" she asked. Strangely there was no emotion in her voice as she asked the question, only a desperate need to know the answer.

Sensing that the princess wasn't asking her, Chelsea went to the closet and reached into the deepest corner to pull out a dress protected by folds of deep green fabric. When Setsuna finally turned away from the window, pulling the curtains closed to block out the bright day light, Chelsea had the dress laid out on the bed.

Setsuna felt a twinge of sadness threaten to bring more tears but she suppressed the emotion quickly. Spread out on her sea green comforter was a shimmering white dress. Almost in a trance she walked up to the bed. With cautious movements she ran her hand over the fabric, admiring the magic that made it appear to be made from spun glass. The last time she had tried this on it had been merely a dress, made from normal cloth. But even then Bryant, who had snuck into her room via the same tree she used to get out, had said she was beautiful. She wondered what he would think when he saw her in it now. 

That thought ran through her mind a few more times before she realized what was wrong with it. Then it hit her, Bryant would never see her in the dress, and she would never see him again. Squaring her shoulders she began to pull off her nightgown, only to be stopped by Chelsea's gentle voice. 

"It is okay to cry some more. No one will fault you for it."

Looking over at her friend, Setsuna almost told her that she couldn't afford to cry anymore, but when she met Chelsea's eyes, the world spun away. She no longer saw her room. Instead she could see Chelsea down in the village, crying over the shattered body of her youngest son, the other one laying a few feet from her, also lifeless. There was no sound but she could almost feel the anguished cries that were being ripped from her friend's throat. 

She came back to her room because Chelsea was shaking her, calling her name with a voice that was laced with worry. 

"I'm fine," Setsuna insisted, at first not remembering. When she did remember she grabbed the older woman's arm and forced her to meet her own red eyes. "Promise me that when you are done here, you'll go and tell your sons you love them." At the look of disbelief in Chelsea's eyes she added, "Promise me!"

Chelsea promised in a quiet, fearful voice, and Setsuna could see all the possibilities running through her mind. But the princess no longer cared. The vision had been one of the most vivid she had ever had, and only the second one to come while she was awake. Something was happening to her and as soon as she was dressed, she was going to get the truth from her mother for once and for all.

By default she pulled on the wedding dress, there was nothing else that was ready to be worn. Even without her garters and shift, stockings or shoes Setsuna felt smothered by the dress. The magic changed fabric weighted her down. Blaming the feeling on her depressed, ravaged emotions she pushed past Chelsea and the guards outside her room. Her long, sure strides led her up to her mother's door but once there she hesitated, her confidence leaving her. Determined that now was the time she would obtain the answers she desired she didn't bother knocking. Once in the room, she found that her mother had managed to evade her questions once again. This time by merely not being where Setsuna had expected her to be.

Standing in the middle of her parents bedroom, dressed in her wedding gown, Setsuna felt more lost than when she had knelt by Bryant's still form. Slowly she lifted her necklace up off her chest and gripped it in her palm, willing it to tell her what she felt she needed to know. When no answer came she sighed, tucked the necklace into her dress and retraced her steps back to her room. This time her bare feet dragged on the ground, the energy her determination had given her gone.

Hours later, just as the sky started to darken with the beginning of the prolonged sunset, Setsuna was ready to be married. At least physically. Her hair fell about her in gentle, green waves. The wedding dress seemed to glow, her silver slippers glowed in the soft light. Mentally, Setsuna was dreading the moment her father would come to the door to escort her downstairs. The feelings she had felt budding for Corlan were dead, replaced by the wish to see Bryant, one last time. A time that would last the rest of her life.

Setsuna shook her head, glad that she was alone. That meant there was nobody around to witness her depressed daydream. Standing up she walked to the window and threw open the curtains, determined to chase away her melancholy. Bryant would have wanted her to be happy, and she planned to see that she was. Moping around wasn't like her. The sight outside her window did rid her of her sadness, only to replace it with fear. Now the odd, crystalline ships could be seen as more than tiny star points in the sky. Though they were still far enough away as to appear small, the massive number of them managed to cloud the city.

A knock at her door scared the breath from her. Setsuna stared at it, motionless, until she heard her father calling her name. Composing herself with a few deep breaths she opened the door. The look on her father's face brought a smile to her own. He looked so proud, so sure of her. It gave her the confidence to be sure of herself. She wrapped her fingers around his proffered arm and followed him into the hall.

"Are you happy, Setsuna?" he asked, concern in his voice as well as his eyes.

Setsuna almost broke down and told him the truth -- that she would try but doubted that she would ever be truly happy again. But even as she hesitated, her father's eyes grew stern, almost daring her to say no. This time her smile was forced. "I am," she replied.

The king was back to playing the loving father. "I'm glad to hear that. Your mother will be so pleased. She has been rather nervous lately. After all, it's not every day the princess turns eighteen and gets married."

They were almost to the main hall where the wedding was to take place when she asked, "She wouldn't happen to be nervous over anything having to do with my necklace. Would she?"

"Your necklace?" King Amund stopped, pulling his daughter to a stop beside him. "Your mother has filled your head with tales and every time you mention them you upset her." After a pause he added, "Promise me you won't mention it today."

Setsuna remained silent. As the day had continued she had become aware of her necklace more with each passing moment. It had grown heavier and warmer between her breasts and continued to do so now. She wanted to protest, to declare that she wouldn't rest until she had her answers. Instead she nodded silently and turned to enter the hall.

A strong hold on her arm stopped her in her tracks. "You will promise Setsuna. Your mother will not be bothered.."

"I promise," the princess managed to say around the lump in her throat. She was promising away her last chance to learn about the secret that had been hidden from her for her entire life. A feeling in her said that after today she would never have another chance.

With that last thought in her mind Setsuna and her father finally entered the main hall. Following the well rehearsed plan, the king and princess stopped just inside the wide open double doors, waiting for the accumulated guests to notice them. The pause gave Setsuna the chance to study the room. Looking around she was surprised by the changes. The teal tinting on the lights was gone, brightening up the room more than she had ever imagined it would. Large bolts of fabric hung from the balcony, displaying the crest of Pluto and the individual family crests of Setsuna's family and Corlan's. The guests created a living painter's palette, with their brightly colored suits and dresses. Just in front of her, leading to the front of the room, was a cleared path, blocked off by a delicate white, chain fence, no higher than her knee. After a silence had settled over the room, Setsuna and her father took their first steps towards the alter. Before they reached their twelfth Setsuna met the eyes of the priest and froze in fear. In her mind she could see her first encounter with that very man and the terror he had bred in her.

_The man looked down at her and Setsuna got the oddest impression that his black eyes were seeing right through her and killing everything they saw. She was too terrified by him to even shiver. _

As if from far off she could feel her father's grip tightening on her arm and his harsh whisper blowing across her ear. Even that was fading as her vision blurred. The scene in front of her was replaced by a desolate plain, everything as far as the eye could see was smoldering, wisps of smoke curling towards the black sky. In the middle of it all stood the man posing as a priest. Only now she saw him naked from the waist up and from the waist down he was no longer human. His lower half curled along the ground and around itself in the form of a snake. As she watched a forked tongue slipped in and out of his mouth, tasting the air.

With a violent shake the vision disappeared. At least the surroundings did. Up on the alter the half-man, half-serpent remained. His black eyes no longer focused on her but rather on Corlan. The prince seemed to be writhing in pain. Setsuna started to run toward Corlan, certain he was dying. It wasn't until she was only a few feet away that she noticed the coarse hair that had replaced his suit. Setsuna stopped, frozen with fear as before her eyes her betrothed changed into a man sized wolf.

"We meant to wait until after the wedding to reveal ourselves to you, but it appears you somehow saw through our disguise." The gravelly voice of the wolf threw open the gates in Setsuna's mind. The flashes of memories, visions of the lady with the golden key staff and the attack flooded her mind.

Like an echo to her thoughts the world exploded around her. Black lightening bolts flew through the room. Tumbling walls and incinerating people where they stood. Spinning around in confusion and terror Setsuna saw her mother and father standing side by side. Each was directing a different segment of the guests. Attempting to organize a counter attack. Even as she watched a bolt of the black lightening sliced through the air toward them. It passed so close to her that she could feel the static charge it release! It's jagged tip pierced her father's back. He was dead before he could yell in pain. The same bolt changed direction and embedded itself in her mother's side. The force pulled the queen up into the air, where she remained suspended for the briefest amount of time. Then the black lightening disappeared and Chemarian collapsed to the ground beside her dead husband.

Before she consciously thought about it, Setsuna has running toward her mother. She fell beside her, skidding to a stop on her knees. Tears were streaming down her face, splashing in the puddle of blood that was forming under her mother. The queen's breath was coming in quick, short gasps. Each space between them was longer than the next. Before she breathed her last, Chemarian reached a shaking hand up to her daughter's cheek. "Your destiny is being fulfilled." The last word was barely even a whisper. Her raised hand started to fall and by the time Setsuna caught it between her own the life was gone from it.

Hearing a soft, padding noise behind her, Setsuna turned to see the large wolf that had been Corlan standing behind her. "Who are you? What do you want?" Setsuna was surprised at how steady her voice was, considering the circumstances.

"I am Howlite," the wolf responded, "My companion is Serpentine." The strange snake-man's only response was to flick out his long, forked tongue. "We are here to destroy your people, possibly your world. You stand in our way of controlling this system. This universe.And now, dear princess, how sad it is, that you should die at your own wedding. And by the jaws of your husband-to-be as well. So sad... Too bad there will be no one left to mourn you." Setsuna screamed as the wolf became a gray blur as he leapt at her. But the impact never came. She never felt the ripping teeth that she was now so certain had killed Bryant. 

Opening the eyes she didn't remember closing she saw standing before her a woman in a tight jet black body suit, short emerald skirt, and knee high boots. The woman's eyes were a brilliant red and her dark green hair fell in waves to her waist. Gripped tightly in her hands was a staff as tall as she, shaped into a slender, golden key. When her eyes landed on that key she realized she had seen it before, not from a vision but rather from the pendant she wore around her neck. 

Setsuna didn't have a chance to reach for her necklace; the woman started to collapse and she barely managed to catch the woman before she hit the ground, providing her with a softer landing.

"Setsuna," the woman said in a voice that was barely audible "Setsuna, you must take my staff. Take my staff and say, 'Take me to the time gate'. You must do this and you must do it now!"

"I can't," Setsuna whispered. "I can't leave you. I can't leave my home to them." She nodded in the direction of Howlite and Serpentine, both of whom stood frozen. Just as everyone in the room stood frozen.

"You must. One of us must survive and it is too late for me. You can't remain here much longer, they won't stay frozen forever. Now go!" The woman pushed the staff into Setsuna's hands, forcing her to take it.

When Setsuna felt the strange cold warmth of the staff her fingers curved around it unconsciously. "How will I know what to do?"

"Everything will become clear in the gate. Besides, you read the book I left for you. It explained much. Now go!" The woman's voice was just above a whisper until that last command, which rang through the room.

Under the commanding gaze of the woman lying at her feet Setsuna whispered, "Take me to the time gate." On the other side of the fallen woman the space started to shift. Light from all over the room seemed to become concentrated into that one spot. A vortex of colors appeared then shifted until an empty expanse of navy blue could be seen. Walking up to it, Setsuna looked back once before stepping through. The last thing she saw before she left her home world for good was the woman forcing herself to her feet to face the enemy one last time. To gain precious moments for the doomed planet.

She almost turned back to help. Guilt swarmed over her at even thinking of leaving this fight, but the woman's words pushed her onwards. With another glance back she squared her shoulders under the torn and bloody remains of her wedding dress and stepped into the portal. Almost before she was through it snapped shut. But not before she saw the former guardian fall under the jaws of Howlite. Then, though she could no longer see anything, she felt the pain the woman must be experiencing.

Finally, with a sinking in her heart, Setsuna knew she was alone.

A/N: And that is the end… as well as the beginning I suppose. I hope everyone enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed righting it.

Until next time

Blessed Be


End file.
